


Murder, Mayhem, and a Romantic Overture

by TeaandBanjo



Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: MFMM Flashfic Challenge April 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-13
Updated: 2019-04-13
Packaged: 2020-01-12 15:41:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18449585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeaandBanjo/pseuds/TeaandBanjo
Summary: A cat, a constable, and a Lady's Companion.  Everyone gets a snack.





	Murder, Mayhem, and a Romantic Overture

Ember was theoretically Phryne’s cat.  He worked hard not to disturb her illusions in that regard.  However, in his feline view of the world, she was the person whos bed was the most comfortable (when she was not engaged in some sort of energetic frolic with some strange male human),

He also knew that Mr. Butler was the most reliable source of the morning milk, and the evening’s source of chicken, fish, or trimmings from the roast.  It was important to be polite to Mr. Butler.

Jane, when she was at home, could be relied upon for endless petting if he curled up in her lap, or unscheduled treats if he meowed with persistence and pitiful intonations.

Alas, Ember had consumed the breakfast milk, received the petting and kind words from Jane, and the entire house was now empty and quiet.  

Ember sashayed out of the kitchen, and considered where he most wanted to nap for a bit.

The parlour sofa was very nice, but chilly early in the morning.  

Ember decided to try his luck.  The upstairs guest room might have a sunny spot on the floor, if the drapes were open.

As he reached the top of the stairs, he heard a faint noise of tiny feet.

His whiskers twitched with excitement.  There was an unscheduled snack to be had.  A nice, fresh mouse would hit the spot, if he could track it down and sink his teeth into it.

 

 

Ember crouched under the plush chair in the guest room.  His tail flicked with tension, but the rest of him stayed perfectly still.

The mouse crept along the baseboard, sniffing for hints of food, or maybe a warning of danger.

Danger crept closer.

The mouse seemed to sense that something was wrong, and decided to make a run for the door.

Ember’s coiled muscles launched him into the air, and he landed neatly on the mouse.  One paw held it in place, and he knew the best places to put sharp teeth to end its struggles.  

Ember picked up the limp, furry corpse in his mouth, and leaped onto the guest room bed to enjoy his snack.

  
  
  


“I spent all afternoon cleaning up mouse parts in the guest room.  It’s been a long day.” Dotty sighed.

Hugh followed her up the stairs, with a mug of cocoa in each hand.  She apparently didn’t trust him with the plate of biscuits.

“I hope you don’t think this too improper, Hugh, but if I have to listen to Bert boast about winning the darts tournament for another minute…”  She turned and smiled at him. “Let’s have cocoa in my room.”

“It’s alright with me, Dotty.”  Hugh wondered if he was depending too much on Dot’s sense of propriety.  The two of them were engaged, but they weren’t married yet, and he wasn’t exactly sure about how far beyond kissing things could go before one of them would have to confess something.

The next flight of stairs ended in Dot’s room.  Hugh looked around for a place to set the mugs.

“Over here, Hugh”  Dot moved a basket full of sewing things off a small table, and replaced it with the plate.

There were two chairs at the table, and he positioned one mug in front of each.

“Miss Fisher’s is the first time I ever had a bedroom to myself,”  she said, brushing her skirt into place as she sat.

“Here?”  Hugh tested the chair, and sat carefully.  “How many sisters did you share with at home?”

“Just Nell.  But it wasn’t a large room, and it had the one tiny window.”

“You have windows in all directions here.  It’s like you can see the whole city.”

“It’s pretty at night with the lights off.  You can see the streetlights.” She stood up, switched off the light, and flung open the curtains.  

Hugh rose to join her at the window.  The row of electric lamps down the Espland seemed to channel the cars.  Headlights coming towards them and driving past the front garden, and the red marker lamps going away.  “That’s the intersection with Broad street?”

“Mhm,” she said, clutching his arm.  “Look a little to the left.”

“That’s City South!”   Hugh grinned. He’d never seen the station from this angle before.

“If you look the other way, you can see the neon signs that went up at the theater.”

He glanced over at Dot.  The soft light coming through the window lit her eyes, and the soft, smooth curve of her cheeks, and her lips curved with a smile.

“Dot,” he said, and reached for her hand.  

She turned, and now they were very close, and he could smell the traces of her perfume.

“We’re alone in your room.  How much kissing can we do?”  

“At least this much, Hugh.”  Her small hands gripped the back of his skull, and pulled him fiercely against her mouth.

Hugh wrapped his arms around her, felt the warm shape of her body against him.

He wondered who was devouring whom.  

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Ember is an occasional character in the Miss Fisher novels.


End file.
